A’s offense returns to form as Jackson picks up milestone win against Blue Jays

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Oakland Athletics’ Stephen Piscotty (25) scores on a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Lucroy (21) in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Ryan Buchter (52) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Aledmys Diaz (1) scores on a solo home run hit off Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Jeurys Familia (32) in the ninth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. The A’s beat the Blue Jays 10-1. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons relieves relief pitcher Jaime Garcia (57) in the eighth inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics first baseman Mark Canha (20) celebrates with Jonathan Lucroy (21) after Lucroy hit a two-run double off Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jaime Garcia (57) in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics’ Marcus Semien (10) scores on a two-run double by Jonathan Lucroy (21) off Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jaime Garcia (57) in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics first baseman Mark Canha (20) scores on a two-run double by Jonathan Lucroy (21) off Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jaime Garcia (57) in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics catcher Jonathan Lucroy (21) hits a two-run double off Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jaime Garcia (57) in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Jeurys Familia (32) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics’ Marcus Semien (10) scores on a double hit by Nick Martini (38) in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Lou Trivino (62) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Curtis Granderson (18) can’t get to double hit by Oakland Athletics’ Nick Martini (38) in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics catcher Jonathan Lucroy (21) hits a sacrifice fly to score Stephen Piscotty (25) in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Curtis Granderson (18) catches a sacrifice fly by Oakland Athletics catcher Jonathan Lucroy (21) which scored Stephen Piscotty (25) in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics’ Nick Martini (38) scores on a sacrifice fly hit by Khris Davis (2) in the third inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) catches a sacrifice fly hit by Oakland Athletics’ Khris Davis (2) to score Nick Martini (38) in the third inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada (25) reacts as Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha (20) rounds the bases on a solo home run in the second inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha (20) hits a solo home run off Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada (25) in the second inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Edwin Jackson (37) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics second baseman Jed Lowrie (8) makes the out at first base in the third inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Kendrys Morales (8) fouls off a pitch in the third inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Edwin Jackson (37) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics’ Khris Davis (2) hits a sacrifice fly to score Nick Martini (38) in the third inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha (20) scores past Toronto Blue Jays catcher Luke Maile (21) on a solo home run in the second inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha (20) is congratulated by Jonathan Lucroy (21) and bat boys after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada (25) reacts as Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha (20) rounds the bases on a solo home run in the second inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada (25) throws against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics fans have a moment of silence for Ronald Dellums before their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. The former Democratic congressman and Oakland mayor died from cancer on Monday. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Edwin Jackson (37) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, July 30, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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OAKLAND — After an anemic weekend in Denver, the A’s bats picked up where they left off in Texas last week, cooking up more than enough offense to help pitcher Edwin Jackson earn his 100th career win.

The A’s did their best to prove that their sweep at the hands of the Colorado Rockies was nothing more than a hiccup, more than doubling last weekend’s offensive output in a 10-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Oakland Monday.

“We talked about it before the game — getting back after it again,” catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. “Guys did a really great job.”

With the win, the A’s moved to within five games of the first place Houston Astros in the American League West standings. They continue to trail the Seattle Mariners by two games for the second wild-card spot.

It only took four innings for the A’s to match the four runs they produced in three games against the Rockies last weekend. Mark Canha grilled up the first ribeye by smacking his 14th home run of the season to left in the second.

Then, the A’s did what they so often failed to do in Denver: bring runners across the plate.

After stranding 29 runners in three games last weekend, the A’s made it 3-0 off sacrifice flies from Khris Davis and Lucroy in the third and fourth. Then, Nick Martini continued his campaign to stay in the leadoff spot, scoring Marcus Semien off a double to right in the fourth.

Martini went 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI, improving his batting average to .435 (10 for 23) out of the leadoff position. Matt Joyce, who often bats at the top of the order, suffered a setback in his recovery from a back strain last weekend, delaying his return to the lineup.

“Talk about the right guy at the right time,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said, referring to Martini. “He’s putting together tough at bats and moved himself all the way up to the leadoff spot where he’s doing a good job.

“His timing with Joycie down has been very good.”

The A’s completed their offensive resurrection by adding six more runs in the frame now being referred to in the East Bay as the “Ath inning.” With a home run from Stephen Piscotty, a two-run double from Lucroy, a two-run double from Jed Lowrie and an RBI single from Davis, the A’s have now scored a Major League-best 83 runs in the eighth inning this season.

As the A’s bats returned to the form that produced 41 runs in four games against the Texas Rangers last week, the pitching staff put together an equally-dominant performance on the hill.

In his 16th season, with his 13th Major League club, Jackson finally earned his 100th career win, tossing 52/3 innings of shutout baseball while surrendering three hits and walking three batters. Jackson, who’d been stuck on win No. 99 for exactly one calendar month, didn’t allow a Blue Jays runner to advance past second base even though he walked the first two hitters he faced.

“Pitchers just aren’t going to have their best stuff every day, that’s just the way it is,” Lucroy said. “The trick is trying to get him through it without his best stuff.

“He was able to do that.”

The A’s celebrated after the game, popping a six-liter bottle of champagne in the clubhouse that Jackson’s wife, Erika, had been lugging around the country in anticipation of the milestone win.

“There’s a pretty expensive bottle of champagne in there,” Melvin said. “One that I did not open, for sure.”

Melvin said the club was thrilled for Jackson, who signed a minor league contract with the organization less than eight weeks ago, an indication of the type of teammate the 34-year old journeyman is.

“Comes in and day one fits in like he’s been here for a few years,” Melvin said. “Guys are celebrating for him in there right now.”

Jackson gave the game ball, which was tagged with the number “100” in a black sharpie, to his six-year old son Exavier.

“It’s special,” Jackson said. “To look back where I’ve come from, to imagine having 100 Major League wins, it’s definitely something that I never envisioned.

“I’ve been blessed with a crazy but successful career.”

The bullpen made sure that Jackson (2-2) left the Coliseum as a 100-game winner, giving up just one run over the final 31/3 innings.

The win ensured that the A’s goal of bringing their stellar road play home to the Coliseum got off on the right foot. While they’re 35-24 on the road, the A’s are just 27-22 at home, where they’ll play 26 of their next 36 games.

Unfortunately, only 11,149 paid fans showed up to watch Monday’s blowout win. Manager Bob Melvin is hoping that things pick up as the week progresses.

“Sometimes, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesdays are a little tough for us,” the A’s skipper said prior to Monday’s game. “Hopefully, the way we’ve been playing will bring some more people out. It seems to have created a little bit more of a spotlight for us here, and hopefully, they come out and support us because when they do, we can feel them.”